Weekly Update – December 3, 2021
December 3, 2021
Weekly Update – December 3, 2021
Appreciation for CUASA Volunteers
CUASA would like to express its sincere appreciation to all of the members who have recently stepped up to volunteer for various positions. The Association has seen a significant increase in volunteer activity this term, from new members on the Steering Committee and CUASA Council, to members volunteering for the various internal union committees and joint Association-University committees.
The Association is only as strong as its membership, and this increase in volunteerism is a signal of how determined CUASA members are about increasing the Union’s capacity to move forward and make real progress on many of our standing and new initiatives.
CUASA would also like to extend our gratitude to its Chair, Nominations and Elections, Marylynn Steckley, who has been doing outstanding work in member outreach and recruitment to connect with members who are willing to volunteer their time for the Association’s needs.
Any members who are interested in learning about volunteer opportunities with CUASA are encouraged to contact Marylynn at [email protected]. Remember, any service to CUASA is recognized as service in your academic workload defined in under Article 13.5 of the collective agreement.
New Issue of Provocative Practice
The CUASA Anti-Racism Working Group (ARWG) has released its second issue of Provocative Practice, a new intersectional, multi-disciplinary project dedicated to anti-oppression work in the community. This issue continues with the theme of “Movement” and includes an interview with Ariel Troster from Rainbow Haven in Ottawa. All issues can be found here: https://www.cuasa.ca/pp.
ARWG Drop-In Session
Members from CUASA’s Anti-Racism Working Group (ARWG) will host a drop-in session on Thursday January 13th, 2022, from 1-4pm (via Zoom) for BIPOC and Jewish-identified members to have an open discussion about the results of the BIPOC Experience Survey that was circulated last year. The last hour of this session will be more informal and we invite members to stay on, with a drink of your choice, so we can get to know each other better. If you are interested in attending, please contact [email protected] to RSVP to receive the Zoom details.
Faculty Consultations on Sexual Violence Policy Review
The University is reviewing its Sexual Violence Policy throughout the 2021-2022 academic year. As part of this process, it will be offering information and feedback sessions to solicit input from the campus community.
The objective of these sessions is to host a supportive, creative space wherein members of the community can provide their feedback on the Sexual Violence Policy.
There are faculty sessions scheduled for the following dates and times:
- Wednesday January 12, 10am-11am
- Tuesday January 18, 1pm-2pm
Participants are recommended to read the policy ahead of the sessions and review the considerations outlined in the Sexual Violence Review Work Plan. For more information or to register for one of the faculty sessions, click here.
Academic Community Updates
OCUFA Submission warns of threat to shared governance in regulations proposed in Northern Ontario School of Medicine University Act
Ontario faculty are concerned with the government’s proposed provision regarding the power of Senate at the new Northern Ontario School of Medicine University (NOSMU). The wording used in the Senate section of the NOSMU regulations would undermine the fundamental principle of shared bicameral governance at the new University, by subjecting the Senate’s power to “determine and regulate the educational policy of the University” to the Board of Governors’ approval. This language is inconsistent with what exists in the other Ontario public university acts where the Board’s approval is only sought with respect to the expenditure of funds.
Shared collegial governance, carried out through the bicameral system, is a fundamental tenet of Canadian universities. Granting the Board of Governors additional powers, as the current language in the regulations implies, would undermine collegial governance at the newly formed NOSM University from its inception.
OCUFA has made a submission to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities recommending an amendment to the NOSMU regulations in order to protect collegial governance at the institution and to ensure the new university is truly based on a collegial bicameral model of governance. The amendment limits the Board’s approval power over the Senate’s decisions on the educational policy of the institution to matters related to expenditure of funds only.
This important change would ensure that the governance at NOSM remains consistent with all other universities in the province.
CUASA’s External Relations Officer, Raj Singh, has also written to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities to express the Association’s concern with the current wording in the NOSMU regulations and to endorse OCUFA’s submission. You can read that letter here, and OCUFA’s full submission here.
OCUFA sets priorities for year of provincial election
The pandemic may continue, but at its Board Meeting on October 23 OCUFA set its sights on the 2022 provincial election and the goal of electing a government committed to supporting high-quality, public postsecondary education in Ontario.
To keep reading, click here.
November News Wire: Council votes to lift U of T censure, member support for UMFA strike going strong and urgent appeal for Afghan academic refugees
Every month CAUT sends a newsletter with the latest CAUT and post-secondary education sector news. In the November issue:
- CAUT Council votes to lift censure of U of T
- Strike vote at Acadia gives AUFA mandate to strike
- CAUT member support for UMFA strike going strong
- Throne Speech overlooks post-secondary education
- Urgent appeal for Afghan academic refugees
- CAUT in solidarity with Ontario college faculty
- Upcoming events
Click here to read the NewsWire and to subscribe.
